Shivamogga: A chilling case of superstition-fuelled violence emerged from Karnataka’s Shivamogga district, wherein a 55-year-old woman was brutally beaten to death during a so-called exorcism ritual reportedly performed by her son and two self-proclaimed healers.
The horrifying assault, which was captured on camera, took place on Monday night (July 7) and lasted for nearly four hours.
Exorcism Turns Fatal
According to reports, the victim, identified as Geetamma, was believed by her son, Sanjay, to be possessed by an evil spirit. Instead of seeking medical help, Sanjay brought in a woman named Asha and her husband Santosh, who claimed they could drive the spirit away through a ritual.
Video footage shows Geetamma seated in a semi-conscious state while Asha performs the ritual. She is seen rotating a lemon around the woman’s head, making her smell it, and then striking her with it. The situation escalates when Asha slaps and hits Geetamma repeatedly with both her hands and a stick, pulling her by the hair as the elderly woman tries in vain to shield herself.
Trigger Warning: Viewer discretion is advised. Visuals in the following footage could be disturbing to some.
The violent ‘ritual’ reportedly began around 9:30 pm and continued until 1:00 am, after which Geetamma succumbed to her injuries.
Accused Arrested; Police Register Murder Case
Following the woman’s death, a case of murder was registered against Sanjay, Asha, and Santosh. All three have been arrested by the police. The incident has sparked outrage and concerns over the deadly consequences of deep-rooted superstitions in rural India.
This case comes just days after another gruesome episode took place in Bihar’s Purnia district, where five members of a family were set ablaze by a mob on suspicion of practising witchcraft.
The mob, reportedly 50 strong, stormed into the house of Sita Devi and attacked her family, setting them on fire and hiding the bodies under water hyacinth.
